New Delhi: Representatives of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) would meet National Security Adviser (NSA) M K Narayanan on Tuesday to facilitate direct peace talks between the rebel leadership and the Government negotiators.
"We will meet Mr Narayanan tomorrow and also seek an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his personal intervention to break the deadlock over holding of direct peace talks with ULFA," said the head the rebel-nominated mediator group, Indira Goswami.
"We tried to meet the NSA today but he had some other engagements," she said.
Before agreeing to direct talks, the Government wanted the ULFA to give a letter that it was ready for such talks, name a negotiating team and specify a time frame for the dialogue.
"We are sure to get a positive response from the Prime Minister for immediate direct talks for the greater interest of peace in Assam," Goswami said, adding the ULFA has some reservations over giving a written commitment.
Goswami is the leader of the 11-member team of civil society leaders - collectively called the People's Consultative Group - nominated by the ULFA in September last year to begin exploratory talks with the Government.
The main issue now blocking the start of formal face-to-face talks between the ULFA and Indian Government negotiators is the rebels' demand for release of five of their jailed leaders.
The ULFA maintains it was not in a position to take a decision without their five central committee leaders who are currently in jail and hence is insisting on their release.
On August 13, New Delhi announced a 10-day suspension of army operations against the ULFA and later extended them by 15 more days.
The term of halting military operations expires on September 7. The ULFA, too, reciprocated the Government's "goodwill gesture" by announcing cessation of hostilities for an indefinite period.
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